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Stepping through from her transport gateway out of NetSquare Lucia immediately ooo’d in a faint pleasure when she realized just what sort of location this network was. “Oh wow, it’s so hot, and dry, and-and awesome! I love it here! It’s like my homepage only cooler!”

Artio seemed to be enjoying it slightly less than her, but still he sniffed at the air as he started to get a glance around and find their bearings on just where they’d ended up.

Still, Lucia seemed to jump the gun as she quickly set off skipping and kicking up sand randomly, digging in her toes and giggling like it was the first time she’d seen it. “It’s like the beach only not wet and I don’t hate it!”

Exorcist and crew arrived on the net in a burst of multi-colored beams, then immediately began to labor under the heat. Not one of the was particularly suited for hot climates, due to their heavy robes and elemental affinities. "It's like the beach, only not wet and I hate it! Why are we here again?" Bhikkhuni huffed, pulling off her hat and flapping it rapidly as a makeshift fan. "This is like, the worst net for us! I know enough about Netfrica to know we shouldn't be here."

"We're here because Burt said it would be good training after the last mishap. Sometimes, we have to do things we don't want to! Even if they seem impossible, we can't just give up because it isn't convenient for us," Exorcist preached, seeming somewhat hypocritical after costing them the kill against the viruses in their previous mission. "B-Besides, it's not that hot here!"

"What are you talking about? I'm about to roast," the little SP groaned, pulling her robe away from her neck uncomfortably.

"Remember that karma has a way of appropriately punishing those who complain, Bhikkhuni! That is, if you complain about wearing clothes that are too bulky for the environment, you might just find that someone has a way in mind to answer your complaint and punish you at the same time," Exorcist muttered, trying to convey as discretely as possible to her SP that Burt had taken lesser opportunities to put them all in swimsuits before.

"All the same, perhaps we should look for a little aid in our endeavor? My water won't do enough to help against the fire-based viruses we're likely to meet," Mary offered. "But my, is it hot! If only we weren't all clad in such heavy, unfitting robes-"

"Well!" Exorcist exclaimed again to draw attention away from her SP, who was trying to cause trouble as usual. "Take a look! There's someone right over there we can ask for help," she cheered, trotting girlishly over to meet her target: a fiery navi with a dog companion, both who looked a little more natural with the scenery than she and her SPs did. "Hey there! We're doing some training in this area. Would you like to help us out?" she requested, bowing and giving a friendly smile.

"Yeah, don't worry, we're not any kind of religious solicitors or anything," Bhikkhuni added, hoping to cut off the need to push Counterinfectualism before it started for once.

Lucia seemed far to content with being able to dig her toes down into the hot sand, wiggle them around before kicking up the dust and dirt with childish giggles, though when she heard a call she at least stopped and started looking about as Artio drew up beside her. Beginning to pant from the heat finally starting to bother him.

“Did someone call? Oh hello there! Oh wow you three look so cool, are you like, Arabian knights? Are you looking for a band of thieves!? I’d love to help you out!” the navi exclaimed as she looked them each over and their choice of wearing robes in such hot weather.

“Lucia I don’t think you have the right type of robes…” Artio tried to correct only to blink as the navi’s little hands wrap around his muzzle making him snort out heatedly.

“Non-sense! Come my new friends. I’m Lucia, and this is my beloved friend Artio. We were just here because Master says there are powerful things here and one is the kind we’ve been hunting for.” Offering a faint bow with her explanation, she’d toe about on her toes before pointing off into the distance. “Well then my desert knightly friends, let us go forth, to glory and honor and riches and all that stuff!” Already the navi was starting to march forward, leaving the scowling Artio behind. Who was at least trying to offer something of a sympathetic smile to the trio of ladies in robes, probably relating to their pain thanks to his thick fur.

“My apologies for her, though I do believe she’s leaving us behind now.” With a shrug of his shoulders Artio started to turn and follow after the navi, while she called out from up ahead.

“Oh yeah, what are your names! Master says I always forget to ask that with new friends!”

"An Arabian knight? There's something I never expected to be called," Mary chuckled. "I think that's the one culture we don't have represented here."

Burt perked up, seeing that a new and cute girl had appeared on his screen. "Oooh! You guys found a new convert?" he asked, rubbing his hands together excitedly. "Have you given her the speech yet? Don't worry, I'll give her the speech. Now, where's my talk button..."

"Er, Burt! Why don't you let us handle it for now? I think it might be best if we... er... approached the subject at a gentle pace," Exorcist suggested, not wanting to scare their potential ally off before they even started. With her operator's reluctant acceptance, she and the other SPs bounded along after Lucia. "My name is Exorcist; the tall girl there is Mary, and the... average-sized one there is Bhikkhuni."

Mary gave a polite bow; Bhikkhuni did not. Seriously, she kept her eyes on Artio, tensing her eyebrows seriously. "I want a talking dog," she murmured to herself, folding her hands into her sleeves and making a pouty face. her rings jangled more loudly as she loosened the grip to only her forearms pressing against her waist, following along the others in a moody humor.

Mostly properly acquainted, the group of Navis and SPs began to make its way across the network. The already thinning vegetation they had been traversing soon gave way to a nearly-absolute swath of brown earth. A few patches of green dotted the landscape, but the only significant allotment laid angled off to the group's left. On that patch sat a pair of unfriendly KillPlants, the viruses staring eyelessly at the group. In front of them providing cover was an IronShield, this virus slowly strafing back and forth across the width of the grass. Finally, dead ahead of the group were some more viruses; two Volgears seethed with anger and flames while a Heavy noiselessly floated back and forth not unlike the IronShield. The latter group of viruses seemed more concerned with offense, but they were all certainly hostile.

Lucia would continue skipping along, though as introductions began she’d twirl about and manage to bounce and skip backwards to watch the trio as each were introduced in turn. Tilting her head to one side curiously before pointing at each one at a time, “So Exorcist, Mary, and B-hikkhuni? Hikkhuni?” Wiggling her nose she’d finally just grin and spin back around, “I’m going to just call you Hunny!” she called with a giggle.

While behind closer to the girls Artio could at least hear, or paid attention to their conversation, waiting until the one seemed to start complaining before glancing back and flashing a fang filled grin to her, while sparks flicked up through his rough fur and were shaken off with a quick flick of his tail. “Who said I could be pet?” Still he chuckled faintly and shook his head, hoping they’d catch on he was just trying to tease them. Though such actions stopped as he snapped his head back forward and growled ahead as Lucia came to a stop with the party of viruses now hindering their way.

“Ooo, I don’t think I’ve seen some of these before, and that big one looks like it could be ridden! Still… They are in the way.” Offering the viruses an innocent smile, the navi quickly flared up within a blaze of fire, enveloping her within that burning safeguard.

Rather than letting the flames die out, navi drew them down into each hang, causing the blaze to split and arch apart as the fire gathered in her open palms. Once she’d gathered the flames she quickly clenched her hands tightly as if to grasp the fire as she lowered down and slaps her hands down into the dirt. The effect would quickly become obvious as a snaking orange glow darts forward beneath the panels, only to suddenly fork and encircle the ground about the plants, offering perhaps the only warning they would have before a great blazing inferno would erupt in grant fire pillar capable of turning anything unfortunate enough to be caught within to ash.

Rising back up Lucia shook her wrists a few times to flick the soft soil from her fingers before reaching back and bringing left hand forward. A brilliant flurry of fire would call forth her trusted bow as fingers clench around an arrow and bring it out quickly to draw fully upon bowstring. Turning her sights upon the large machine looking virus ahead as the tip of the arrow started to build a red glow, quickly lighting the bolt ablaze before finally she’d let it loose. Sending a fiery trail through the air as it sails towards the large shield protecting the beast.

Immediately after that arrow had been released the navi kicked off to try and feint to the side in hopes she could avoid any attacks that the enemy front line might be sending her way. Coming to a soft skidding stop that pushed up the loose earth while hand went back into her quiver once more, this time drawing out two arrows with what looked to be diamond glass tipped bolts. Trapped within looked almost like frozen water with bubbles of air floating within that gave off a soft blue glow. Bringing each to her bow together as she dropped to one knee and turns her bow flat. Drawing them back as she lifts high enough to set her sights upon the burning gears ahead, only to loose her aquatic arrows and send them sailing towards the Gears.

Artio seemed more interested in allowing their new allies to show their stuff, so instead of joining the fray he watched the viral troops closely, ready to leap aside or outright swipe down attacks thrown his way.

"Hunny!? Why, you!" Bhikkhuni started to rant, then stopped with a small jingle of her staff. "Huh... that's actually not bad compared to most of the nicknames I've been getting. It sounds kind of sexy, doesn't it? Like honey!"

"I think it's cuter than it is sexy, but that fits you better regardless, Bhikkhuni," Mary chuckled.

"Whatever! It didn't sound like he said no, so I'm going over to pet him," the little SP finished, running over to pet Artio.

Exorcist shot both of her partners glances that said "silliness later, Counterinfectualism now," causing them both to start thinking on their feet (and one of them to release the dog they were hugging). "That's a spirited approach to virus busting, Lucia! I commend you for your enthusiasm," she praised her partner, preparing a long, inked talisman as she spoke. "Viruses across the net represent a certain problem that I'd like to touch upon a little later," she continued with a smile, trying her absolute best to avoid breaking into a lecture on Counterinfectualism.

With her talisman inscribed and folded, she took aim towards the one virus Lucia wasn't focusing on and let it fly. Next, she pointed the index and middle fingers of both hands outwards, lining each hand up with a Volgear like dual pistols. With much less recoil than one would experience from pistols, she shot chi into her hands and delivered three freezing cold bolts of energy each towards the two viruses. "That ought to mop up whatever evil was left behind," she finished, focusing now only on getting out of the way of enemy attacks.

Mary whistled in the direction of her new ally, then held up a long-necked vial daintily and shook it to get Lucia's attention. "This will help you heal injuries, if you let it. Just lightly sprinkle it over any injured area," she suggested, tossing it underhanded.

Lucia began her attack and sent forward flames creeping across the floor around the Ironshield, erupting just beneath the KillPlants. Because the Ironshield blocked off part of her vision, the aim of one of the BurnSquare was slightly off and only scored one of the KillPlant virus. Lucia continued her attack by shooting her piercing arrow right through the IronShield's powerful shield and retreated away.

In the mean time, Exorcist began to spread her counterinfectualism, starting with taking care of her half of the virus. The bone-like talisman she threw was unfortunately a miss, but the more "modern-like" pistol fingers did the job as it finished off the Volgears with ease.

The viruses began their counterattacks as the remaining three viruses went all out. The Heavy virus teleported right besides Exorcist, catching the navi off guard as she was simply ran over by the massive size of the virus! The KillPlant and the Ironshield began to bombard Lucia and even Artio with seeds and bombs, breaking through her barrier, the IV, and reaching the navi in the end! Fortunately, Artio was quick on his feet and dodged the incoming bombs.

Artio seemed more than willing, perhaps even smiling when Bhikkhuni came over to pet him, and aside from perhaps a bout with frizzy hair like one would get from touching a plasma lamp there really was no harm in doing so. Since Lucia seemed to have been handling everything well enough.

“Approach? Is there another way to dealing with viruses I don’t know about?” Lucia tried to respond, though her attention moved from one to the next when Mary had whistled and called out to her, calling back a thank you as she reached for the vial. Until the sudden bombardment shattered it before it reached her grasp, and then struck down her defense and managed to hit her too!

For a moment navi stood in shock as what had happened sank in, slowly lowering her outstretched hand as she begins to turn to face the virus that’d managed to attack her. A slow, almost bubbling up flames started to lick and rise up around her ever so slowly as she turned those pink eyes glaring towards the defending tank of a monster. “Fine… Have it your way.” the young navi hissed before dropping low as the flames quickly vanished, leaving a faintly shimmering barrier in its wake.

Gathering a sudden swirl of wind and gusts, the navi burst from the panels like a rocket, shooting through a sudden slipstream of powerful winds that send her launching high above the viruses below. Letting herself get caught up in the soothing touch of flowing air before she turned her gaze southwards, fixing her target within her sights once more. Clenching fist tightly only to let it open slowly as molten flames and liquid started to form, spreading and lengthening out in long staff, only to suddenly tip itself in a powerful blaze of solidified magma forming a burning tip. Swirling her new lance about she quickly turned herself about and let out a loud cry as that spear was sent sailing straight down, the force behind it causing the air to hiss from sudden temperature changes as it set itself to smash down to the earthy terrain and anything unfortunate enough to be between.

Following through with the force of that throw, Lucia quickly called up a second lance with a whirl of napalm and fire before once more that judgment from above was sent down, her goal, the second plant her first pillar of fire had missed.

It was then the navi started her decent back to earth, coming down hard enough to force her to drop into a tucked roll ending with a scorched skid through the grassy panels as she came to a stop.

All while Artio at least watched in amusement and eyed those viruses close in case once more he had to leap away from strikes heading his way.

"Oof!" Exorcist exclaimed, falling backward as a giant, swinging weight knocked the breath out of her. "For a little group, these viruses have a lot of fight in them. Unfortunately for them, I'm on a mission! A little thing like that isn't going to keep me down... Ahem, I hate to impose, but I could use some water, thinking on it..."

Mary chuckled, then tossed her master a vial. "Of course! You know you can ask me for anything," she cooed in response, still keeping her distance from the battle. "You too, Lucia," she called out, throwing another larger flask out to their friend. This one wasn't intended to be caught, however; the nun intended to throw it over Lucia's head and have it douse her, regardless of whether she wanted it or not.

Bhikkhuni disregarded the battle and snuggled her cheek into Artio, until he gave her a static shock that repulsed her. "Yow! Hmmmmm...!" she grunted, then furiously resumed her actions. When another spark hit her, she backed off a bit. "Why's your dog covered in static electricity?! How am I supposed to snuggle it!?"

"Please, focus," the leader sighed, readying more paper. The viruses may not have realized yet that the talisman she threw earlier was still within her power to control; as such, she reeled in one hand to bring it back towards its original target. While keeping the hand clenched into a fist, she thrust it out again, sending forward a man-sized wave of coldness that would dispel all of the life force of the target. With any luck, the Heavy would be sandwiched between the two attacks and destroyed.

Once that was accomplished, Exorcist finished preparing two more long talismans, then folded each at its midpoint to form two 90 degree angled boomerangs. Simultaneously, she hurled the two forward, trying to aim around the shield that one of the viruses had raised to defend itself. "The tools of evil will never prevail against Counterinfectualism!" she boasted, feeling pride in herself.

"Right, right!" Burt pitched in, alarming her. She'd almost forgotten that he was watching. "I was wondering when you'd tell her about Counterinfectualism. Is now the time?"

"N-No, let's wait on it a while longer," she suggested timidly. The three girls each prepared to dodge any further resistance from the enemies.

Lucia couldn’t help but give a soft cheer as they vanquished the rest of the viruses, grinning and reaching up to flick over her burning locks, which really just seemed to flow around her attempt before she gave up. Soon enough she was skipping about, gathering up her share of the rewards only to look on curiously at the new chip data. Grinning as it was sent off to her operator before finally spinning about on toes to face her companions. “What’s wrong with him being all static-ie?” called as she started to head over, giggling. “He’s a giant electrical monster, so of course he’d have a lot of energy to burn, sort of like me! Only he’s big and cuddly aren’t you Arty!”

Giggling again the navi threw her arms about Artio, hugging the wolf tightly before offering a smile to the others. “Ya’ll are pretty good in a fight, what was that word you called it earlier? Counter influencualisticalism…” She started to let herself trail off after trying to invent or add as many suffixes she could think of to a word she’d obviously forgotten about already.

Thankfully Artio was at least paying attention before and promptly spoke up, “Counterinfectualism Lucia.” Even if it was short and slightly dry in response. The giant wolf seemed far more preoccupied with all of the attention he’d been getting.

"You seem fairly cuddly yourself, Lucia," Mary remarked with a pleasant smile. "Your wolf has the right pronunciation. Counterinfectualism is a religion founded around the idea of creating a utopia by ridding the net of viruses. You can learn more about it at Burt J. Blanchard's public website; he's the founder of the religion."

Exorcist seemed slightly upset that Mary was usurping her place as the star disciple of Counterinfectualism, but thought that Mary's succinct explanation would probably suit their purposes better than her own overly enthusiastic, drawn out one would. "You can aid Counterinfectualism just by taking care of viruses, but there are other ways you can help as well! A-Although, it's mostly just destroying viruses," she admitted.

"Can we shut up just one second about Counterinfectualism and help me figure out how to static-proof this dog?!" Bhikkhuni complained, holding her robes between her face and Artio's fur to try to avoid static shocks, but to no avail. "Does anyone have some cling wrap?"

"Some things just weren't meant to be," Mary chuckled.

"But you know what was meant to be? Us getting another SP base from the GNA! Seeing Lucia here fight made me realize that I need a fire elemental disciple myself! Exorcist, it's your job to expand the membership of my religion, so go get me that new SP base!" Burt instructed his navi. She nodded, although she half wondered why they'd gone through the trouble of logging on to Netfrica Net just for that. "And no, Bhikkhuni, you can't keep him."

"... We should get a dog disciple," the little SP pouted.

Exorcist and co. waved goodbye to Lucia, then explained their pressing business. With mixed feelings, the three left Lucia to continue the work of Counterinfectualism.

Lucia couldn’t help but flush about the cuddly comment Mary had made, and rather then try and say something about it, she quickly picked up on the other half of the conversation. “Yeah? Well I don’t know about all this religion and stuff, I think Master wouldn’t let me do that. Besides it’s all over my head, I’m just here to get Master power, so that’s all that really matters!” Though she was half watching poor Hunny, trying in vain to pet Artio without being shocked, giggling. “I don’t think there is a way, It’s just how he is! Besides, that just makes it all that much more fun to snuggle him!” Throwing her arms back around Artio as the trio started to move away, listening somewhat before realizing they were heading out. At least she got to wave goodbye to them before nuzzling into that sparking fur. “They were fun, think we’ll see them again?”

“Probably, it’s hard to avoid girls that prefer to cling to you all the time.” Letting out, well what had to be a faintly growled chuckle, Artio started to step forward, or would have if not for the sudden command to log out came from beyond.

“That’s enough for now, we got all we needed for the moment you two. We’ll be working on getting you a new friend Lucia, someone to fill the last hole in your defenses. For now come back, and we’ll get you two prepared for the oncoming trials.”

“Right away Master!” Lucia quickly responded, stepping away from her canine companion as deep red flames quickly started to overtake her, only to suddenly shoot off like a meteor jetting into the sky. Which was quickly followed up by a frightening howl as Artio's form shifted to that of pure energy and followed in a bolt of lightning.